9:36 PM,
Oct. 2, 2012

The sun sets over wetlands in Barataria Bay. Barataria Bay and its fragile wetlands was one of the hardest hit areas in the BP oil spill.

Written by

Ledyard King
Gannett

WASHINGTON -- Gulf Coast lawmakers spent nearly two years laboring to pass legislation that would make sure their states received most of the fine money BP will pay for the 2010 oil spill.

Now they fear their constituents might be shortchanged.

Under a settlement the Obama administration reportedly is negotiating with BP, the fines could be levied through a program that falls outside the RESTORE Act. The law, which President Barack Obama signed in July, specifies that 80 percent of the BP fine money will go to Gulf Coast communities ravaged by the 2010 spill. ...